Ants are relatively harmless compared with termites and cockroaches, but that doesn’t mean that they are not as annoying as pests. There are various types of ants – the black ones that tickle you when they crawl up your sleeve and raced ones that make you scream in pain when they bite. Unfortunately, they are also the type of pests that you should uproot from the nest if you want them permanently gone because they tend to irritate not just your body, but also munch on your food. Allow us to walk you through how you can trace the nest of the nasty ants in your home so you can live peacefully without the worry of ant invasions:
You can try walking with the ants to their hill but it is more difficult than you think it is. Sometimes, ants walk for long distance just to get food. This means that the nest of the ants that visit your homes might actually be a few hundred meters away from your house.
If you think that ants walk a straight path, you are in big trouble. Ants follow a trial set by the first explorer in search for food. We all know that ants are blind in a sense, right? Which means, they have a heightened sense of smell to determine which direction to go to. This situation is made easier by the leader who leaves pheromones on the rode so her fellow workers can follow her when she finds the food source. Our suggestion is do not follow a lone ant. If you see a line of ants converge to a single path, then you might have found your trail. But as we said earlier, it can be farther than you think.
You can also try looking for a huge mound of dirt or a mud pile about a foot tall. If you have one in your backyard, do not hesitate to call the experts. An ant hill with a visible tip means the population underground has already matured and the ants under is countless. Calling in experts is you best bet at removing these ant hills and ending your ant infestation at home.
Have we mentioned the scary fire ants? These ants love to hangout on old rotting trees and rotten stumps. These are the two most common breeding ground for the red bullies. If you have taken out an old wood furniture that has not been treated for pests, then you just welcomed the fire ants into your backyard.
Another clue you can look out for are aphids. These are also creepy crawlers that feed on plants. Ants are opportunistic in this situation because aphids produce a sweet smelling, nectar like substance called honeydew. Since the aphids have no use of this honeydew, the ants are the ones benefiting from it. If you have aphids at home, it only means you won twice in the pest lottery. It means you have ants and aphids to take care of. But which pest should you get rid of first? The aphids or the ants? If you make the wrong decision, one of the two pests will produce much faster than they normally would. That is why some people would like to save their time and effort and just dial for a reliable pest control team. For such decisions, you might want to call us at Rocklin Pest Control. Our years of experience have greatly taught us which one the two should go first so we can remove both safely and prevent a relapse.
Now we’ve tackled how you can trace the ant footsteps outdoors, what happens if they’ve found their nests inside your homes? We suggest you look out for five tell tale signs that an ant’s nest is right under your nose:
- Moisture
Aside from food, ants also need moisture to survive. Wet wood, leaking pipes, or frequently wet areas are the most susceptible areas for nesting. - Dead Ants
Chances are, if there are dead ants near a hole in your house, it is the entry point to the nest. Dead ants are common signs of infestation in the house. But, be sure it is an ant and not a termite. - Wood shavings
This is why ants and termites are mistakenly called cousins often times. They have the same social make up and habits. If you see wood shavings, it might be that the ants have started nesting and eating the wood away to make room for reproduction for the queen. - Keep an eye for swarmer
Another common trait between termites and ants is that they have a swarm near their nests. Seeing a swarm is a huge indication that your house has been invaded. While a DIY treatment method is an option, handling chemicals and equipment for the first time have a huge risk. Inviting a pest control contractor to do this may be your best option. We at Rocklin Pest Control have skilled pest control staff that has been trained to handle chemicals and equipment meant to eradicate these pests. While ants are integral part of the ecosystem, we would all agree that there is a place for everyone, and everything—even ants.
If you feel like you have an infestation and would like to get to the root of the problem, do not hesitate to drop us a call at (916) 884-6114 or fill out our form here and our team would be more than happy to help you keep your homes ant-free.